932. Continuation on the examination of spirits
The more difficult for spirits to examine are souls who can actually be brought into a state of benevolent feeling, as is usual even with the wicked in the world. When they are engulfed by misfortunes, sadness, temptation, sickness, at such times they seem as though they have changed completely, but if their former character is still there, they readily fall back into it. Therefore, with souls also, such states of mind can be created, and when they come into them, they appear to be different, as I was taught today by actual experience in the case of one who had been cunning in bodily life.
But if they take on a stance of goodness out of cunning, the pretense immediately becomes apparent before the angels, as if seen in broad daylight, but not so before cruder spirits, whom they can fool by brilliant simulations. Pretense does occur among souls, for they bring this with them from their bodily life, thinking nothing else than that they can fool spirits in the same way; but their pretenses show plainly. And if those pretenses are natural to them, they are punished as though their inward and outward elements were being split apart [from each other], by [various] kinds and species of [the process of] being torn apart described before [404].
932. CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE EXPLORATION OF SPIRITS
Souls can be explored by spirits with the greater difficulty in the degree that they can be reduced into a state of good affections. This is also usually the case with evil men in the world. When they are in misfortunes, sadness, temptation, disease, they then appear to be wholly changed, but if the former disposition remains they easily relapse. Similar states, therefore, can also be formed in souls, and when in these states they appear to be different. I was instructed today by living experience in the case of one who in the life of the body had been cunning. If, however, from their cunning they admit a state of goodness, the simulation at once shines forth before angels as in clear day, but not so before the grosser spirits who can be deluded by means of specious simulations. Simulation occurs among souls, for they derive this from the life of the body. They suppose no otherwise than that they in like manner can delude spirits, but their simulations are manifestly patent; and if these simulations are innate they are punished in the manner spoken of before [n. 515, namely, as by a sundering of interiors and exteriors by means of genera and species of rending.
932. Continuatio de exploratione spirituum
Eo difficilius possunt animae a spiritibus explorari, animae etiam in statum bonae affectionis redigi queunt, sicut solent etiam mali in mundo: dum in infortuniis sunt, in tristitia, in tentatione, in morbis, tunc apparent tanquam prorsus mutati, sed si indoles manet prior, facile relabuntur; quare in animabus similes status quoque formari possunt, et quum in iis sunt, tanquam alii apparent, sicut a viva experientia hodie instructus sum 1
, in eo, qui astutus in vita corporis fuit; si vero admittunt bonitatis statum ex astutia, simulatio illico elucet, coram angelis, tanquam in clara die non tamen ita coram spiritibus crassioribus, quibus illudi quoque per simulationes speciosas potest: in animabus datur simulatio, nam trahunt hoc a vita corporis, ii non aliter putant, quam [quod] 2
similiter illudi possint spiritus sed manifeste patent simulationes; sique illae innatae sunt mulctantur eo modo, de quo prius [404], nempe sicut discidia interiorum exteriorum, per discerptionis genera species.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has est
2. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition